The movie IT terrified me when I was little and left me afraid of clowns.

'They All Flooooaattt down here.'

Actually, that movie made me laugh all the way through, I'll admit. I found that clown way funnier than actual clowns. Mostly because I have a weird sense of humor. But when he talks about floating balloons, all I could think of was how that concept seemed to excite him a little too much... Or when he's making noise on that barrister while someone's trying to have a conversation *snorts*.

The fact that he still has his job after this is, in a way, an interesting contrast to some other figures I can't help but compare him to - Tommie Smith and John Carlos at the 1968 Olympics (I had to look up their names, but they are the two athletes in the famous 'Black Power fist-salute' picture), and Muhammad Ali. Smith, Carlos, and Ali all did something extremely unpopular (and for Ali, outright illegal) publicly and defiantly because they wanted to make a statement about how they disagreed with the current state of affairs in the country. Smith+Carlos got their medals stripped as punishment, Ali got his title stripped and went to prison (see again, illegal), but none of them complained or acted like it was unfair. They knew it would be the risk/cost they'd pay for standing up publicly like that, were perfectly willing to do it anyways because of their convictions, and I don't doubt Kaepernick was prepared to get suspended or even fired either.

They knew it would be the risk/cost they'd pay for standing up publicly like that, were perfectly willing to do it anyways because of their convictions, and I don't doubt Kaepernick was prepared to get suspended or even fired either.

Because Mr. Oniya talks the sporty-sport-sport, I tend to keep my eyes open regarding applicable topics. (I do the same with little Oni's interests, occasionally even surprising her.) I had to dig a little to find this quote that I saw fleetingly (as search results are now focusing on why he is protesting and this was more what he considered could be the possible personal effects of his protest:

The 28-year-old, biracial Kaepernick told NFL Media’s Steve Wyche that he did not seek anyone’s approval before taking the stand – or, rather, the sit – and that “if they take football away, my endorsements from me, I know that I stood up for what is right.” source

The fact that the father refused further medical treatment for the baby makes me think that either the parents are terribly lacking in good judgement and resent this "attention over a little thing," or have a life insurance policy they were hoping to cash in on with their child's death.

Its a bit funny, I've talk to australians abut these spiders before, they are absolutely terrified of them. You look on wikipedia nad there definintely somewhat dangerous, but not as dangerous as they seem to be made out to be.

Quote from: wikipedia

. . . An investigation into spider bites in Australia, in which Sparassidae figured prominently, did not note any severe or unusual symptoms resulting from confirmed bites from some of the most notorious genera, particularly Neosparassus.[/qoute]

Its a bit funny, I've talk to australians abut these spiders before, they are absolutely terrified of them. You look on wikipedia nad there definintely somewhat dangerous, but not as dangerous as they seem to be made out to be.

Quote from: wikipedia

. . . An investigation into spider bites in Australia, in which Sparassidae figured prominently, did not note any severe or unusual symptoms resulting from confirmed bites from some of the most notorious genera, particularly Neosparassus.[/qoute]

I'm from Australia and yeah, a lot of us don't like them. They're creepy and they can grow ridiculously big. (As far as I know they're not venomous, but they can bite). I've crossed paths with them before. I remember one time as a kid that I went to the downstairs toilet of my house and I found one (around dinner plate sized) sitting in the toilet bowl. I flushed the toilet and it disappeared, then it ran back up the toilet again. I got out of there fast.

Another time my brother woke up with one on his face during the night. They may not be dangerous but it's hard to tell with Aussie spiders sometimes (some of the venomous ones get big too) and they definitely can trigger a fear response.

I'm from Australia and yeah, a lot of us don't like them. They're creepy and they can grow ridiculously big. (As far as I know they're not venomous, but they can bite). I've crossed paths with them before. I remember one time as a kid that I went to the downstairs toilet of my house and I found one (around dinner plate sized) sitting in the toilet bowl. I flushed the toilet and it disappeared, then it ran back up the toilet again. I got out of there fast.

'Down came the rain and washed the spider out.'

They can bite (usually in defense of themselves or their eggs), but it's key to note that they don't have a venom that produces necrosis in humans - unlike the famed brown recluse that can cause serious scarring or death if not treated.

That said, 'dinner plate sized spider' is the cue for this arachnophile to make an exception. (Yes, I like spiders. Not that big.)

Don't want to encounter something that can attempt t carry me off to its lair or web or whatever. Spiders just look freaky enough to make me shake and shiver. I was hanging sheets in my Gram's back yard and turned and saw one at eye level sitting on the head of a clothes pin just inches away. I let out a shriek that had both Gram and Grandy running thinking I was being attacked.

I used to be scared of spiders, once a Wolf Spider the size of my thumbnail crawled up on my chest and I jumped and freaked, he took off and I never saw him again. He was as scared of me as I was of him.

I'm a lot more comfortable with spiders now, this past summer I found a spider at work, I don't remember which it was (though I looked it up at the time) He was some kind of jumping spider, a hunter not a webbuilder. I picked him up and took him outside so he wouldn't get killed by the chemicals we use to clean the tables, I can't imagine those aren't toxic to spiders. He didn't like being picked up very much, he was probably unhappy my hand was too warm or something. He kept trying to get down since I'm too tall, I was able to put him outside where it was safe and more likely to find food.

I've seen other spiders I tried to help play dead though and I left it thinking I had drowned it accidentally trying to help it out of the water. I came back later and it looked fine, maybe it wanted to be in the water?

Anyway, most spiders in Indiana are pretty harmless, supposed to be on the edge of brown recluse territory, but I don't think I've ever seen one.

He didn't like being picked up very much, he was probably unhappy my hand was too warm or something. He kept trying to get down since I'm too tall, I was able to put him outside where it was safe and more likely to find food.

I'll generally use the 'cup and card' method of moving spiders. They seem to be much happier with it than being on a hand. Although when I was in college, I picked up a praying mantis and took it outside. It had somehow gotten into our mailroom stairwell. It was pretty chill the entire time I had it. The sorority girls I encountered en route were less chill.

I don't like bugs landing on me (except for butterflies) ever since I was really little and my brother would put them on me then laugh when I would freak out. If I flicked them off he would stomp on them and I felt bad because I got them killed. My brother is not a nice person.

I'll generally use the 'cup and card' method of moving spiders. They seem to be much happier with it than being on a hand. Although when I was in college, I picked up a praying mantis and took it outside. It had somehow gotten into our mailroom stairwell. It was pretty chill the entire time I had it. The sorority girls I encountered en route were less chill.

I'm not sure I would ever pick up a praying mantis, those claws look a little ominous to me.

I don't like bugs landing on me (except for butterflies) ever since I was really little and my brother would put them on me then laugh when I would freak out. If I flicked them off he would stomp on them and I felt bad because I got them killed. My brother is not a nice person.

Really not expected, but there is a very ancient earthquake-prone "scarred seam" under the Mississippi plain, which produced some powerful earthquakes in the 19th century, especially a cluster around 1811-12. Looks like both Memphis and St.Louis are sitting on top of a moderately active seismic zone...

Really not expected, but there is a very ancient earthquake-prone "scarred seam" under the Mississippi plain, which produced some powerful earthquakes in the 19th century, especially a cluster around 1811-12. Looks like both Memphis and St.Louis are sitting on top of a moderately active seismic zone...

There's also a concern that this is being aggravated - if not outright caused - by fracking. The state has ordered 57 injection wells that were near the epicenter shut down. If any of you remember the James Bond movie 'A View To A Kill', Max Zorin's 'evil plot' was to flood a fault line with water, reducing the friction that kept it from slipping. In the movie, this would destroy Silicon Valley, allowing Zorin's company to step in to the tech gap. Minus the Hollywood mustache-twirling, this isn't far from how injection wells work - by forcing water into porous rock (limestone etc.) and forcing out oil.

So whenabouts does congress decide to subsidize electric motor vehicles the way they subsidize cell phones so we can reduce our dependence on oil?

Or maybe start constructing localized solar power infrastructure to offset our dependence on other forms of energy (also insert other forms of energy producers such as localized heat and kinetic conversion methods)? I mean theres a building in my town with solar panels on the roof and it may not do everything, but honestly is it really a bad idea?

Oh wait, sorry I forgot, as soon as the people who own the lobbyists decide they've made their money's worth from the status quo.

Don't mind me I'm just being a stupid person without personal investment in the status quo over here.